One of the girls that escaped from Boko Haram captivity, Sarah Lawan, has confirmed that the girls in the video released by the terrorist sect on Monday were actually her school mates.
Lawan spoke to LEADERSHIP in Maiduguri on phone.
According to her, “all the girls I saw in that video are my classmates; in fact, one of them that spoke in the video was my desk mate; her name is Hauwa”.
Lawan, 19, escaped while being taken away by the Boko Haram gunmen and made it back to Chibok the next day, April 15.
Reacting to what the girls said about their new faith, Sarah, a Christian, said “all I know is that they are not willingly making those statements because that is not their true conviction; they are being forced to say it, and I don’t blame them because even I would have had no choice except to do what would please them”.
Sarah had said that when she and one other girl took the decision to bolt away at a point, most of the other girls could not join them in fleeing “because of the stern warning they gave us on trying to run away”.
She said, “When they were taking us away and most of us were crying, the gunmen kept on telling us to be calm, that they were not going to harm us.”
77 girls have been identified by parents from Boko Haram video – Shettima
Following the controversy on whether the video released by the Boko Haram sect on Monday was authentic, the governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, had stated that about 54 of the abducted Chibok girls had been identified by their parents.
LEADERSHIP was later informed that another 23 had been identified, bringing the total number of the schoolgirls identified to 77.
Shettima, who was speaking when the BringBackOurGirls Campaign group carried on a protest in the Borno State Lodge in Abuja yesterday, stated that though the process of identification was ongoing, it was certain that all the girls in the video were students of the school.
Shettima said, “All the girls in the video have been identified as students of Government Secondary School, Chibok”.
The governor, who stated that he was in the know of a lot of things happening as regards the security situation in the country, said that if he dared speak, a lot of heads would roll. He promised to speak at the appriopriate time so as not to overheat the polity.
Shettima, who accused the federal government of swinging into action only 19 days after the girls were abducted, stated that he still stood his ground that though the millitary were doing their best, a lot have to be done in equipping them to be able to fight the war against terrorism.
On the effort his government has made, the governor disclosed that the 53 students who were able to escape from the sect would be taken to the Government House, Borno State, to finish their NECO examination, adding that, if possible, they would be taken abroad to further their education.
Shettima denied there was any tension between him and the military, reiterating that he has information on the movement of the girls. As information comes to him, he passes it to relevant authorities for prompt action, he said.
A mild drama occurred during the event as former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili and Dino Melaye disagreed. Ezekwesili accused Melaye of trying to use the protest for political gain.
US rejects swapping of abducted girls
The United States government yesterday rejected the offer from Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau to swap the over 200 Chibok students in the custody of the terrorist organization for the release of some terror suspects in some of Nigeria’s prisons.
Speaking in Washington, DC, in her national capacity, Jen Psaki, a spokesperson of the Department of State, condemned the trade offer, stressing that the United States policy was to deny kidnappers the benefits of their criminal acts, including ransoms or concessions.
She said: “In terms of the question you had about the reports of a trade offer, as you know, Nigeria is in the lead. We are simply supporting their efforts. We, as you know, also, our policy is to deny… kidnappers the benefits of their criminal acts, including ransoms or concessions.”
Nigeria’ll not negotiate with Shekau – Mark
The Senate yesterday ruled out the possibility of the federal government negotiating with the Boko Haram sect.
According to the Senate president, David Mark, who made the position of the Senate known while speaking in Beijing, the China capital city, dismissed the possibility.
Debunking claims that the federal government may negotiate with Boko Haram for the release of the girls, Mark told journalists in Beijing, China, that “the federal government would never negotiate with terrorists of which Shekau is one, under whatever circumstance”, adding that it will only strengthen the group to wreak more havoc.
He said, “Nigeria will not negotiate with the terrorists under any circumstance because you don’t negotiate with criminals which Boko Haram insurgents are.
“We are going to bring the girls back safe and sound for their parents without any negotiation with Boko Haram, as every effort towards that which cannot be disclosed in the public is being made to rescue the girls”.
IBB decries abduction of Chibok schoolgirls
Former military president General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has stated that all true Muslims must condemn the activities of Boko Haram, while commiserating with the abducted Chibok schoolgirls and their parents.
IBB, who spoke over the weekend on the BBC Hausa service monitored in Minna, Niger state, noted that the violent acts of Boko Haram were an aberration to Islam and all Muslims must condemn the acts in totality.
The former leader who spoke from Germany where he went for medical checkup said that all Muslims must condemn the act because the activities of Boko Haram have created a lot of image problem for the religion of Islam and has tarnished the name of all Muslims.
According to him, “everybody should wake up to fight against insurgency; no compulsion in religion and killing in religion is not allowed. Rather it urges us to live in peace with one another”.
IBB lamented the activities of Boko Haram, saying that they have negatively affected Nigeria in all spheres of development and are a source of great concern to all Nigerians.
Conversion of kidnapped schoolgirls Unislamic
– MURIC
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has rejected the purported conversion to Islam of the girls kidnapped at a government secondary school in Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram. Such “conversion”, it said, is null and void under the Shari’ah.
MURIC’s director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, in a statement on Tuesday, said it was cowardly, shameful, ridiculous and preposterous, adding that it was a sacrilege.
It affirmed that such conversion did not hold water in Islam because a non-Muslim can only be converted on his or her own free will.
Jonathan asks NASS to extend emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday wrote to the Senate and the House of Respresentatives, asking them to approve the extension of the one-year-old state of emergency in the troubled states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe for another six months.
He said the development has become necessary because of the growing activities of the insurgents in the north-east region.
In the letter addressed to Senate president David Mark and read on the floor by the deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, the president further said his action was based on the fact that terrorism had yet to abate in the affected states.
The letter reads in part: “May I respectfully draw your attention to the State of Emergency Proclamation 2013, in respect of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe Staes, which was approved by the National Assembly.
“By virtue of the provisions of Section 305(6)(c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, the Proclamation aforementioned would have elapsed after six months from the date of approval of the National Assembly.
“However, after due consideration of the representations made to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the effect that while substantial progress had been made to contain the situation and restore normalcy in the affected states, the security situation that necessitated the proclamation of a State of Emergency was yet to abate.
“It will be recalled that the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had, upon consideration of the realities of the security situation in the affected states that had been placed before it, graciously approved by resolution the extension of the State of Emergency for a further term of six months from the date of expiration of the subsisting period.
“Distinguished senators, the security situation in the three states remains daunting, albeit to varying degrees, in the face of persistent attacks by members of the Boko Haram sect on civilian and military targets with alarming casualty rates.
“In view of the foregoing, I most respectfully request Distinguished Senators to consider and approve by resolution, the extension of the Proclamation of the State of Emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States by a further term of six months from the date of expiration of the current term.”
Jonathan’s letter was also read at the floor of the House of Representatives by the Speaker, Hon Aminu Tambuwal.
The Senate and the House will debate the request today.
Nyako calls on MPs to frustrate Jonathan’s move
Meanwhile, Adamawa State governor Murtala Nyako has urged members of the National Assembly to use their constitutional powers to frustrate the latest move of President Goodluck Jonathan to extend the emergency rule in the three northeastern states.
The governor who made the statement through his director of press and public affairs, Mallam Ahmed Sajoh, noted with concern that more lives and properties were lost during the post-emergency rule era than before it was imposed on the states.
Chibok: US surveillance begins work
The search for missing schoolgirls in Nigeria is being supported by US surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.
Nigeria’s National Orientation Agency said the government will “use whatever kind of action” it takes to free the 276 students kidnapped by militant group Boko Haram.
A spokesman said: “At the moment, because all options are open, we are interacting with experts, military and intelligence experts from other parts of the world. So these are part of the options that are available to us and many more.”
The White House said the US team is made up of nearly 30 people drawn from the State and Defence departments, as well as the FBI. It includes 10 Defence Department planners who were already in Nigeria and were redirected to assist the government.
Another seven Defence Department personnel were sent to Nigeria from Africom, the US Africa Command based in Germany, said White House spokesman Jay Carney.
The US is also sharing commercial satellite imagery with the Nigerian government, a senior US official said.
US under-secretary meets Nigerian officials over insecurity
United States under-secretary of state for civilian security, democracy and human rights, Sarah Sewall, yesterday met with the minister of foreign affairs, Aminu Wali, minister of defence Aliyu Gusau, other senior Nigerian government officials, civil society, and key stakeholders on counter-terrorism, elections and human rights issues during a previously planned visit to Abuja May 12-13.
Sewall’s visit coincided with the arrival of an interdisciplinary US government advisory team that travelled to Nigeria, at the request of the Nigerian government and in coordination with international partners, to provide technical and investigatory advice. She also underscored US commitment to supporting the Nigerian government’s efforts to find more than 200 missing young women who were kidnapped April 14-15 in Chibok, Borno State, and return them to their families. She emphasized the importance of a comprehensive approach to combatting violent extremism, building law enforcement capability, protecting civilians, and respecting human rights.
Under-secretary Sewall further noted that a key focus of the US-Nigerian bilateral relationship is combatting violent extremist groups and building law enforcement capacity while protecting civilians and strengthening respect for human rights.
Borno Villagers Kill Scores Of Boko Haram Gunmen, Arrest 10 Others
Local residents in the remote village of Kalabalge in Borno state had yesterday showed gallantry when they foiled another deadly attack of the Boko Haram by killing many of the attackers and arresting 10 of the terrorists alive, witnesses and security officials said.
LEADERSHIP got it on good authority that the gunmen had in their usual manner attempted to attack Kalabalge village in the wee hours of Tuesday, but their attempt was resisted when villagers led by local vigilantes confronted them and got many killed.
A top security source who confirmed the incident to our reporter on phone said the villagers had also seized two of the vehicles belonging to the Boko Haram attackers. Kalabalge is about 200km away from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.
UN Security Council condemns Chibok girls’ abduction
The United Nations (UN) Security Council has condemned the abduction of 276 schoolgirls of the Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS) in Chibok, Borno State on 14 April and the reported abduction on eight more girls on May 5 May in Warabe.
The members of the UN Security Council, who stated this in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday, also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all abducted girls in captivity.
The council further expressed deep concern over the statements made by the alleged leader of Boko Haram threatening to sell the abducted girls as slaves, saying that the action is unacceptable.
It also condemned the terrorist attacks by the Boko Haram sect in Gamboru Ngala, Borno State on May 5, causing hundreds of deaths and injuries.
The statement reads in part, “The members of the Security Council strongly condemned all abuses of human rights and, where applicable, violations of international humanitarian law, including those involving sexual and gender-based violence, abductions and attacks against schools and hospitals, including their personnel, and underline that all perpetrators of such acts must be held accountable at national or international levels, and that some of those acts may amount to crimes against humanity under international law.
FG We’ll negotiate with Boko Haram if … – Minister
The federal government has said that it is ready to negotiate with the members of Boko Haram if they are sincere.
The Minister of special duties, Alhaji Tanimu Turki (SAN), stated this during an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Focus on Africa programme yesterday.
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